John collins



(Specimens.)

J. COLLINS.

ART OF SPLIGING GABLES.

Patented Oct. 18, 1887.

N. PLIERS. Pham-Lnho n hcr, Washinglcn. DC.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

TO S. V. MOONEY,

OF SAME PLACE.

ART OF SPLICING CABLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 371,671, dated October 18, 1887.

Specimensd To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN COLLINS, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in 5 the Art of Splicing Cables; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to that mode or method of cable-splicing which has for its object the proper disposal of the strand ends after the interlocked strands have been unlaid alternately back to different points and the opposing strands laid up in the scores thus formed; and my invention consists in dividing into two portions the wires of each of the opposing strands, the division of one strand being similar to those of the other, and laying up in the groove or lay of one division of one strand that opposing division of the other strand which forms its complement, whereby a full and perfect splice-strand is made.

My invention further consists in making several half-turns with or in the direction of the lay of the opposing complementary divisions of the split strand ends, and then in separately tucking the ends of all the divisions under the adjacent pair of full strands on opposite sides of the cable.

My invention further consists in reducing the laid-up complementary divisions to the pitch and lay of the remaining strands by means of tensile force applied to their tuckedunder ends, as by suitable tackle, and by a light mallet-tapping seating the said splicestrand in its proper score.

The object of my invention is to conform the avoid on the one hand an enlargement ofit laying up the opposing strands in the scores thus formed, whereby the cable presents a series of opposing strand ends, one pair only being shown in the figure. Fig. 2 shows the 5 splitting of the opposing strand ends into similar divisions. Fig. 3 shows the complementary divisions from opposing sides laid up together in three half-turns with the lay, thus forming a full strand occupying a single score, the other opposing divisions being laid back to make room for it. Fig. 4 shows the splice-strand ends tucked under the adjacent pair of strands and looped, and the application of the tackle thereto to reduce the strand to its lay and score. Fig. 5 is a view showing the completed splice, the tucked-under end of the splice-strand being cut off and the other ends being tucked under a pair of strands and also cut off. This figure shows but the ends on one side, the two corresponding ends being on the other side of the cable. Fig. 6 is a view showing the two complementary divisions of opposite strands united with the lay.

I do not deem it expedient to enter into an extended description and illustration of the steps of the process necessary to reduce the cable to the condition shown in Fig. 1, where the opposing strand ends are ready to be ma- 8o nipulated. The early steps of the process of reducing the cable to this condition are well known to those skilled in the art of splicing, and as they have before been fully illustrated and described in various publications, among 8 5 which are the patents issued by the United States Patent Office, I deem it essential only in language which will be readily undersplice throughout to the rest of the cable, to to refer to this matter generally and briefly,

diameter, and on the other to prevent its decrease, its conformity to the cable being perfeet in every respect, thus avoiding the many serious objections to previously attempted splices on account of weakness, inequality, rigidity, or its opposite, c.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure 1 shows a short section of a cable which has previously been subjected to the customary operations of unlaying and interlocking 50 its several strands, laying back alternate strands from each side to different points, and

. by those who are accustomed to the busio ness or have given the subject study.

A cable such as is used for cable railways is composed of a suitable number of strands wound about a core of some soft and pliable material, such as hemp. The strands of the 5 cable are each composed of a suitable number of wires laid up into proper form.

To begin the splice the strands of the opposing ends of the cable are first unlaid back for the required distance, either singly or in rco pairs, and then the ends are brought together up toj'heir laid portions, the separated strands interlocking. The waste portion of the core is cut off and slipped from place. Alternate strands in each side are now laid back to different distances, and the opposing strands from each end are laid up into the scores thus formed until there is nothing left but a series of opposing strand ends distributed in regular succession along the length of the splice and in pairs equal to the number of strands in the cable. This, as I have said before, is the usual method resorted to, and I L have in Fig. 1 shown a single pair of these opposing strand ends, which I deem sufficient for the purpose ofillustrating my improvements in this art, which really relate to the proper disposal of the opposing strand ends. I will say, however, that'in unlaying the strands in the beginningof the operation I find it more convenient to split the cable in the first place into divisions of two strands each, interlocking these pairs,and then laying them back to acer tain point, when one of each pair is laid back to a point farther on, which results in the same thing as before and is more convenient, and saves some time. Now from Fig. 1 the description in detail begins.

In Fig. 2 it will be seen that I have divided each strand end into similar divisions. For example, if the strand consists of. nineteen wires I will divide it into parts, one of ten wires and one of nine wires, and this division is made in both of the strand ends. If the strand consisted of seven wires I would divide each end into parts, one of four wires, and the other of three wires, or, if desired, an equal division can be made where the strand has an even number of wires, the essential point in each case being to divide each end alike, so that one division on one side will correspond to one on the otherside. For the sake of clearness in the description, I have here designated the cableby A, one of the strand endsby a, and the opposing strand end by b,- and in order to follow the course of each of the divisions of the strand ends, I have, in Fig. 2 and in the succeeding figures, appended to the letter designating the complete strand-division the figures showing the numbers of wires in each division. Now the first novelty in my method occurs at this point, and lies in the fact that instead of uniting, by a half-knot or otherwise, the two smaller divisions or the two I larger ones of the opposing ends, I unite adivision of one end with its complement of t which was madeby laying back its own division a..

I prefer to make three half-turns with the left by the untwisting of'the wires which had formerly been, laid up with each, (see Fig. 6,) thus forming the splice-strand of Fig. 3, the

other divisions being laid back before the advancing endsof the splice-strand until the three half-turns are taken. These half-turns being with the lay, as it is technically called, makes the strand a full and perfect one, the only trouble about it at this point being that it does not lay well; but this is overcome by the next step of my process, which is to apply a tensile force to the ends a b of the splice-strand. As shown at ein Fig. 4:, these ends are tucked under adjacent pairs of cable strands, which are opened for their receptioigi by a suitable needle, and they are then looped and tied, as shown. In these-loops are fitted the hooks c of the tackles O, and by operating these tackles it will be seen that the splice-- strand ends may be drawn closely, so that the splice is reduced to a perfect condition, and with a slight mallettapping lies in its score like the adjacent strands. The ends of the splice-strand are now out off, as shown in Fig. 5, and the other or free ends are turned to opposite sides and tucked under the adjacent pair of strands and cut off in like manner.

I am aware that it is not new to divide opposing strand ends into similar divisions, nor to tie or knot opposing divisions together to lie within the vacant score of the cable; but

in some cases the selection of these divisions has not been made with a view of securingi'a complete strand to occupy said score; and, as far as I am aware, in no case have the opposing divisions been put together by taking turns with the lay, in order to form not only a complete but a perfect strand, conformable in every particular to the other strands of the cable, the usual practice being to tie or knot the divisions, which means that they are put together against the lay. I

The essence of my invention appears to be the formationby half-turns with the lay of a full and perfect splicestrand made from the opposing complementary divisions of the strand ends. 4

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

. 1.. In the art of splicing cables, the hereiniri bed method of treating the strand ends "(if the cable after they have been broughtinto opposition by the usual processes, said method consisting in dividing the opposing strand ends similarly and then in laying up one of said divisions with its complementary opposing division and fitting the former in the groove or lay of the latter, whereby afull and perfect strand is formed, substantially as herein scribed.

2. In the art of splicing cables, the hereindescribed method of disposing of the strand ends after they have been brought into opposition by the usual processes, said method consisting in dividing the opposing strand ends similarly, in making then several half-turns with the lay of one of said divisions with its opposing complementary division, whereby a full and perfect strand is made, and in then tucking the ends of said splice-strand under adjacent strands of the cable, substantially as herein described.

3. In the art of splicing cables, the hereindescribed method of disposing of the strand ends after they have been brought into opposition by the usualprocesses, said method consisting in dividing the opposing strand ends similarly,in making several half-turns with the lay of one of said divisions with its opposing complementary division,whereby a full and perfect strand is made, and in then tucking the ends of said splice-strand under adjacent strands of the cable and applying a tensile force, as by a block-andtackle mechanism, to said ends to reduce the spliced strand to the. lay and pitch of the adjacent strands in its proper score, substantially as herein described.

4. In the art of splicing cables, the method of disposing of the strand ends after they have been brought into opposition by the usual processes, said method consisting of dividing similarly the opposing strand ends, in then making several half-turns with the lay of one of said divisions with its opposing complementary division, whereby a full and perfect strand is formed, in then tucking the ends of the spliced strand under adjacent strands of the cable and on opposite sides and applying tensile force to said ends, whereby they are drawn in to make the spliced strand liein its proper score, and in then tucking the free divisions of the strand ends under adjacent strands of the cable on opposing sides and cutting all of said ends off, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN COLLINS.

Wi tncsses:

S. H. NOURsE,

H. 0. LEE. 

